Spending time with Buckeye

I went home to Dawn's parents' house to celebrate Christmas the last couple days.  He loves finding his favorite chair in the sun.  Dawn stayed another day, but I had to come home today for work and I brought Buckeye home with me.  It is kinda nice to get some undivided time with him.  He loves being around everyone, but he gets so worked up trying to keep tabs on where everyone is inside the house.  When it is just me and him, he just follows me around and stays with me.  And the fact that he is missing everyone from the past few days means that he is even more interested in spending time with me.

Taking a look at the forecast.  Rain moves in overnight tonight and will be scattered for the first half of Sunday.  Most of the steady rain will be across Southeastern Ohio.  Areas to the north and west of Ohio will not see nearly as much rain.  Temperatures will remain around 40 through Sunday afternoon, but then a cold blast of air arrives in the evening and once we fall below freezing Sunday night then we will likely stay below freezing for the entire week ahead.  BUNDLE UP! A few flurries are likely Sunday night, but not expecting any accumulations.  A couple rounds of snow are on the way on Wednesday AM and Thursday.  Wednesday will be a weak clipper system with minimal accumulations, but you may need the shovel for Thursday.  I will keep you posted.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Few rounds of snow on the way

Some light snow moved through this evening.  Not amounting to a whole lot, but enough to dust parts of the area and reduce visibilities at times.  Another round of light snow expected for overnight.  North of I-70 could see a little more than half an inch, but areas to the south will generally see less than half an inch.  Soooo, shouldn't cause to many problems, but even a little bit will cause some slippery spots.

Then we dry out for a few days and warm up.  40's for the highs for Saturday and early Sunday.  Temps fall through the day Sunday and then a weak disturbance will bring some light snow for Sunday night.  Again, looking on the lighter side of accumulations, but keeping an eye on the middle-end of next week.  We could have another decent snowfall according to the longer run models, but still a ways out.  More on that in the days to come.  Until then, I hope you continue having a happy holiday season and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Viewer mail

As long as it isn't a bill... I love getting mail.  I got a very sweet card in the mail today, at work, from a viewer.  I hardly ever get mail, so it was a real treat.  Thanks Mindi! 

Still tracking some light snow for tonight.  Generally a dusting, or maybe up to half an inch in spots.  The light snow is with a weak trough moving through.  It will start after midnight and be out of here by 10AM tomorrow morning.  A few flurries also possible for Christmas to the North and same for Thursday.  Not much moisture in the atmosphere for these disturbances to play with.  Next Sunday night is looking iffy too.  The latest forecast models show a pretty strong cold front, but no moisture really.  After the 2-5" of rain we had last week... well... That is a bit understandable. Just looking pretty cold for the days ahead and a little more mild by the weekend.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Goodbye snow... hello rain

 

Last week was pretty around Central Ohio.  Each morning had a new dusting or light accumulation of snow... but that didn't last long.

Thursday and Friday Dawn and I went back to Dayton and my parents for her work holiday party and to celebrate Christmas with my family. It was a lot of fun to have the entire family there together.  We haven't had the entire family together in a LONG time.  I also got a Ron Burgundy onesie.  My sister kept up the shenanigans by re-wrapping presents that were still at my parents from last year.  (I actually took it home last year, but my dad asked for me to bring it back so we could play... he NEVER plays board games and he actually enjoyed that one.)

My dad also put out the rain gauge before the rain and they totaled at 5.12" of rain for Friday, Saturday, & Sunday.  That was the highest reported rainfall total for the National Weather Service office.  Here in Columbus we saw a little over 2" of rain.  I stayed late for severe weather last night.

A look ahead... Flood waters will peak tonight through early Tuesday. I see a few flurries for Monday, but that is about it.  Tuesday a few models are hinting at a light dusting or light accumulation of snow.  It does NOT look like enough to have a White Christmas, which, by definition, is 1" of snow.  Another light dusting or light accumulation on Thursday, but nothing of significance by how it looks now.  Next Sunday into Monday may be our next decent snow.  We stay cold until then with highs in the upper 20's or low-mid 30's.   Anyway... no treacherous weather, other than some flooding, for Ohio and the holidays.  I will be back on for updates since I will be in the weather center through Wednesday, so check back in for any updates!  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

A VERY wet weekend ahead

Flooding will be a real possibility this weekend.  The ground is still frozen, so rain will not soak in.  Ice dams may occur on the rivers and streams.  Not to mention the 2+" of rain and all the snow and ice we have to melt.  Out temperatures will stay above freezing from now until Monday.  We stay dry Thursday, but light rain moves in for Friday.  Saturday the rain picks up and some strong showers/storms for later Saturday and early Sunday.  Most of the models are showing at least 2" of rain for most of us, with the possibility of 3+" in spots.  I know the saying goes "Over the river and through the woods" but make sure you are driving over the river and not through it on your way to grandmother's house. 

The rain ends Sunday and we fall back below freezing Monday.  There will likely be some refreeze.  White Christmas does not look likely at this point.  Once the rain leaves we won't see much moisture left over once we fall below freezing.  The good news is that the only travel hindrance will be high water.  Just wanted to jump on here and give you guys a heads up for the rain on the way.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Couple rounds of snow

Two rounds of snow on the way.  The first will be here tonight.  By tomorrow morning at 6AM, you can see above, we can expect less than an inch of snow and mainly affect Southern Ohio.  The snow will arrive around midnight tonight and be out of here mid morning.  We then "dry out" for the middle part of Monday then more light snow showers for Monday evening into Monday night.  The second round will affect Northern Ohio.  Similar totals for Northern Ohio as compared to Southern Ohio.  Some places may pick up an inch or a little more, but most locations will be less than that.  Columbus will be on the fridge of each system.  We then dry out a few days and then much warmer conditions by Friday along with rain showers arriving.  The rain and warm temperatures Friday will likely melt almost all of our snow.  Our chance for a White Christmas are becoming slim.  We will see another cold snap just before Christmas, but there will be a lack of moisture.

Have any questions about the weather?  Come visit my LIVE USTREAM WEATHER CHAT tonight at 8:30PM!  Here is the link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-wx-chat Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Snow for Friday night

I am really liking this forecast model for the snow for Friday night.  The snow will hold off until around midnight Friday night.  The snow will fall overnight Friday night and Saturday morning.  Then Saturday afternoon areas for SE Ohio will experience a wintry mix including rain.  So locations, generally to the SE of I-71, will see some rain once we warm up near and above the freezing mark.  The further SE you live the more rain and the lower your snow totals will be.  If you stay cold enough for all snow then 2-4" of heavy snow is possible, but that will mainly be North and Western Ohio.  Isolated locations may see slightly more than that, but it will be a heavy snow, so it will compress some as the snow continues to fall.  Roads will be a little slick for Saturday morning and then very slushy for SE Ohio for later Saturday.  The precip wraps up by Saturday evening, then maybe a few flurries Sunday with MUCH colder temperatures.   Looking at the longterm forecast... another round of measurable snow is possible for the end of next week again. Will keep you posted.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Snow for tonight.

Here is a look at the snow expected for tonight. Mist if it will fall before daybreak, but a few lingering showers for the morning commute. A solid band of 1" of snow with pockets of some 2" snow. Lesser amounts for NW and SE Ohio. It will be a very light and fluffy snow thanks to our temperatures being colder. It will not be a packing snow. If you think 1-2" isn't serious then check out the 45 car pileup in Wisconsin from today. It is deceiving and people drive faster than they expect and once someone hits you then game over. If I find the video on YouTube, I will share because it catches the entire pileup.  Anyway, be safe out there and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Icy night ahead for Ohio

Winter Weather Advisory for most of Ohio tonight due to freezing drizzle.  I had to increase the sensitivity on the radar to pick up the increased moisture content.  The pink shade shows the denser drizzle areas.

It took less than five minutes to ice up our tower cam tonight.  The good news is that temperatures will warm up a couple degrees overnight so some places(mainly south) will warm up just barely above freezing.  

At least we didn't get hammered with the snow like they did in Philly today.  The Lions - Eagles game was so much fun to watch though.

So tonight, our temperatures will warm up a bit, so spotty areas will see some thawing, while other places will stay below freezing.  It will be spotty so be careful when you hit the road because you may have wet conditions, but a few miles down the road may be icy... it all depends on the surface temperatures and a lot of factors play into that like topography and how densely populated the area happens to be.

More light snow, especially for Southern Ohio for Tuesday morning.  Generally less than an inch of snow.  We then dry out and keep the cold temperatures around through the end of the week.  Slightly warmer by the weekend with another wintry mix returning.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

One snow done... another on the way

The first round of snow is gone. Generally about 4-6" for most of Central Ohio, with lower amounts to the north and south.  It was a very wet snow so it compacts as it falls.  Had our temperatures been colder it would have been a deeper snow.

More snow for Sunday along with freezing rain and sleet.  There is a Winter Weather Advisory because of the light snow and ice expected.  Generally around an inch of snow for Sunday arriving in the morning for Sunday.  It will move in from the south and continue pushing north through the day.  Temps will do the same and that means a switch from snow to freezing rain and sleet for the afternoon and then to rain by the evening for most of the area.  So any snow will be compacted and melt as well.  Temps remain near freezing for Sunday night into Monday so icy spots will remain heading into Monday.  We dry out Monday and then another system rides up the East Coast Tuesday.  A few models are trying to bring a little snow to Ohio for Tuesday as well, so I will be keeping an eye on that.  We then dry out and get cold for the rest of the week.  By next weekend we begin to warm up a little.  I will post more updates in the days to come.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Final update on the coming snow.

This is the GFS model and I agree with it more than the NAM.  The last NAM came out with several more inches, but that is the NAM's SOP.  It always runs heavy right before the snow arrives.  GFS is right in line with what I agree with.  The royal blue is about 8 inches of snow.  Yes, I think that is very possible by Saturday morning.  The only stipulation is the initial melting and sleet.  These two things will greatly cut down on snowfall totals that stick.  While there may be 8" that falls, there may only be 6" or 7" that stick.  So get ready!  It is on the way.  Stay safe and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Another snow update.

Rain heavy at times on Thursday with falling temps. As temps plummet Thursday night we transfer over to a sleet/freezing rain mix in pockets so roads Friday morning will VERY sketchy in spots. Temps continue to fall Friday and we transition to all snow. Generally 3-6" by Saturday for most of Central Ohio with higher amounts in spots and lesser amounts for NW Ohio and SE Ohio. Heaviest snow will be afternoon/evening Friday.  Another round of wintry mix expected Sunday into Monday.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Another look at forecast models

So above is the ice/snow forecast by Friday night at 7PM.  There looks to be some pockets of freezing rain Friday morning and can cause some real problems on any dry pavement and limbs.

The latest NAM model came out and it shifted the snow more to the track that most of the other models have... BUT I still think it is over-doing the snow totals a bit.  Time will tell, but wanted to drop a little tid-bit for you.  Check my last blog for the timing of the entire system.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Tree lighting and snow on the way

Post by Andrew Michael.

I was doing LIVE weather hits from the Ohio Statehouse tonight.  Santa and some kids light the tree up tonight.

 

Still going over the forecast models, but so far, I am agreeing with the above GFS model the most.  It is generally calling for about 2-4" for most of Ohio, but a little less by Toledo because they will be too far north and a little less down by the Ohio and West Virginia border because they will be warmer and result in more ice and rain instead of snow.  Isolated higher pockets will be expected for Friday and Friday night, but don't take this map for what it is worth.  The NAM model has the heaviest snow up by Lima and Findlay and the Euro has the heaviest snow closer to the Ohio River than Central Ohio.  

Here is how everything is looking.  Wednesday will be warm with most of Ohio getting into the 60's thanks to a strong Southerly breeze.   An isolated shower or two, but generally staying dry most of the daytime hours.  More rain arrives Thursday as the cold front pushes through and that is when our temperatures will start to drop.  Temps continue to drop Thursday night as the front stalls out along the Ohio River.  This is when it gets interesting.  As temps fall Thursday night, areas along the front will see a wintry mix including some freezing rain. 

The above loop is the NAM model through Thursday night. The front will slowly push more Northwestward Friday and bring the ice and wintry mix further NW.  There is a low pressure system riding up the front from the SW.  That is what will be bringing the moisture for Friday.  It all depends on how far the front rides NW Friday as to who will see the most snow.  If the front slides all the way back to Columbus and we get into much wintry mix (including freezing rain and sleet) then the snow totals will be cut down farther.  This pulls out Friday night and we are dry Saturday followed by another wintry mix Sunday night into early Monday.  

Be sure to check back in to the blog for updates on this... also... I spent about 90 minutes on the phone today trying to renew my domain (StuckInTheBuckosphere.com), but was having no luck because Google changed their settings and I can't prove that I am the admin for the page.  I will be spending more time tomorrow trying to get it resolved, but the domain may be taken away and I may have to switch things up.  I was really frustrated today because it should be something simple to do, but apparently you can only talk to computers when you call Google tech help.  No humans.  Ugh! Anyway... I will be back to keep you guys updated.  Have a good one!

Best,

Andrew Buck Michael

Holiday spirit

Put up the Christmas tree today.  Always a fun time.  I forgot about some of the ornaments that we have.  The train at the bottom is to keep Buckeye from getting any wild ideas with a tree in the house.  Since he can't see it startles him when he bumps into it or steps on the train tracks, so it keeps him from thinking the outdoors came indoor. ;)

My cousin actually dug this picture up today of me and tweeted it.  I remember the bear vividly from my childhood.  Now I know where I got it!

As far as the weather goes... Much warmer temps heading into the middle of the week.  The chance for rain remains in the forecast for the coming days as well.  Just a slight chance for a stray light rain shower tonight and Tuesday. 

Scattered rain showers for Wednesday and Thursday.  Temperatures begin to fall Thursday.  By Friday our temperatures continue to fall and the rain will transition into a wintry mix and eventually into snow showers for later Friday.  Light accumulations are expected.  For Ohio it looks very  similar to the snow totals that we had last week.  I will keep an eye on it, but right now SE Ohio could expect 1-3+" of snow and NW Ohio will see up to 2" or even less the closer to Toledo.  Again, stay tuned for any changes.  Another round of wet weather Sunday, but the models can't decide if they want it cold enough for snow yet.  The last two model runs have warmed it up and changed it to rain.  Lot of changes to come, I am sure because one or two degrees will mean rain or snow.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Working weekends can be fun

Sure, I don't get to hang out with friends much, and sure... I can't go on weekend get-aways, but the weekend crew at work is the best.  We all pull our weight and we have fun while being at work.  I finished giving some a tour to cub scouts then come back in the studio.  I find Clay Hall and Jimmie Bell doing chest bumps.  One of them almost put Clay through a wall.  If you ever see me out and about... ask me about chest bumps... if my wife is with me watch how far she rolls her eyes. CHEST BUMP!

So the forecast is a little more fine-tuned for the week ahead, but the forecast models are still bouncing around a little.  So Monday and Tuesday will be the best days of the week.  Monday a stray sprinkle or flurry is possible, but most of Ohio will remain mostly dry.  Highs will be back in the mid to upper 50's by Tuesday and Wednesday.  So get the decorations up early!  Rain moves in for Wednesday and Thursday.  Our temperatures fall Thursday and especially Friday.  The rain will change over to a wintry mix including snow by Friday and looking somewhat similar to last Monday night.  So at this point... most of the snow will impact South and Eastern Ohio.  Models are still coming to agreement, so check back in for an update.  Highs by next Saturday and Sunday will be below freezing.  Typical weather in Ohio... warm a few days followed by bitterly cold temps a few later.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Amazing day! OSU wins... Alabama loses. #AnimatedGIFs

I spent all morning moving family.  It started at 8:30 and we finished around 2:45.  So I didn't get to watch any of the game until the fourth quarter.  So I re-live the game thanks to SB Nation and their animated GIFs.  I was able to hear the play, above, where Braxton Miller launches a 53 yard bomb for a touchdown.

Braxton then running for 53 yards... No GIFs of Hyde running for 226 yards... the OSU vs. UM record.

Michigan scored a touchdown and could have tied the game with a fieldgoal with under a minute left... but they decide to go for two.  DENIED!

Womp. Womp.  I DID get to see this play and the house erupted so loud that the one year old started crying because he had no idea what happened. 

And then... Auburn. came. to. play.  I was on my dinner break and was able to watch this.  At first it looked like Alabama ran out of bounds with no time left on the clock... but wait, there was one second.  So Alabama brings in their second string kicker because the first guy had blown three kicks in the game.  From 57 yards out... it is... caught by Auburn and ran all the way back.

Alabama fans didn't know what to think.

GREAT day for Ohio State football... But MAN some real nail-biters.  And this could mean the National Championship game if Ohio State beats Michigan State next week in the Big Ten Championship game.

OH!  And Marcus Hall got ejected from the game and... well... I know we "don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan" but... I will let his actions speak for themselves... (Sorry to those who were offended by his actions)

UPDATE: Marcus Hall did appologize later tweeting:

"I would like to apologize to The Ohio State University, The University of Michigan, my teammates, my family, the fans and the TV viewing audience for my behavior during yesterday's game. Wearing the scarlet and grey uniform is a privlege and an honor. I let my emotions get the best of me and didn't conduct myself properly in the heat of the moment. My actions do not reflect who I am as a person and teammate. I love The Ohio State University and appreciate everything it has done for me. From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry and hope everyone can accept my sincere apology."

As for the weather here in Ohio... Briefly falling below freezing tonight with a lows near 30.  Increasing clouds for Sunday with highs back in the mid 40's.  A slight chance for a passing light rain shower Sunday and Monday, but most of the area will remain dry.  We continue to warm back into the 50's by the middle of the week ahead of rain expected for the second half of the workweek.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Thanksgiving in the weather center

Weather is 365 days a year... I am working tonight.  I did manage to get a thanksgiving dinner with my brothers earlier today.  His girlfriend made an amazing spread... including a cheese ball with BACON on the outside! Amazing. For dinner I ran home and made some fork phillies and bake potatoes.  Not too bad.  I encouraged my wife to go home with her family... no need for her to sit alone while I am working.

The forecast is looking pretty awesome for the week ahead.  We get back above freezing tomorrow and start melting the snow.  Watch out for refreezing though overnight.  Highs back in the lower 40's for Saturday and Sunday. There is a VERY slim chance for a passing shower Sunday and Monday, but most of Ohio will stay dry.  We continue to warm next week... pushing 50 by next Thursday.  But... then... another cold front comes through later next week bringing us back to winter.  Will keep a close eye on the timing of that, but for the days ahead... spend them with your family! Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Let it snow, let it snow!

Here is the Tuesday morning update to the Winter Storm Watch/Warnings for Ohio.  The NWS finally all got on the same page, but I am a little surprised that some of the farther SE Ohio Counties are not part of the Warning.  

Here are my latest thoughts on how much we will see.  The heaviest band of snow will start in South Central Ohio and move up towards Youngstown.  Generally 4-6" in this swath, so the shift that I mentioned last night is quite clear comparing it to yesterday's model runs.  This does pug Columbus in the 2-4" range.  I kept the + in because this system will track fast and if a localized spot happens to see the heavy handing of snow, it is very likely to exceed the top of the range. 

The National radar shows all the moisture down South with the low pressure centered just south of New Orleans currently.  As the moisture pushes into the cold air from the cold front that is moving through Central Ohio then it will turn the rain to snow as they collide for Ohio.  Days like this are fun to watch on the radar to see who is seeing the heaviest banding of snow.  Anyway, be safe out there and have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Update on snowfall totals

Newest forecast models are coming in and they are showing a very subtle shift West in the track.  (By subtle shift... About 10 miles west) So my earlier snowfall totals map in my earlier blog entry will likely verify on the higher option of the range. Below are the newest forecasted snowfall totals by Wednesday morning. Again, the majority of the snow will fall later Tuesday.

Roads will be treacherous late Tuesday and early Wednesday for anywhere East of I-71 for Ohio... Especially along the I-77 corridor. Any changes and I will let you know. Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Breakdown of the coming snow

First, let's talk about timing.  Ohio will have some light snow showers for Monday night into early Tuesday, but that will not be the main event.  By Tuesday midday we will only have a dusting to light accumulations.  The ground is cold enough for the snow to stick so it will be enough to make it slick on the roads.  The majority of the snow will come later Tuesday into Tuesday overnight and be done by daybreak Wednesday, except for some light scattered snow... and the accumulating snow will mainly affect the Southeastern and Eastern Ohio.  So how much?

 

Above is the Canadian model.  Most of the snow for Ohio will ride right along the I-77 corridor. 

The next model above is the GFS, American, model.  It is bringing the snow a little further West and still giving Columbus and Southern Ohio a decent accumulation, but still keeping the majority of the accumulation along the I-77 corridor. 

Lastly, the NAM.  This is the one that I agree with the most... as far as where the heaviest snow will be... but I do disagree with the amount of snow.  I think it is overdoing how much snow we will see.

The Euro is also agreeing with the NAM, but the output shows liquid equivalent, so I didn't include the image as to not confuse anyone.

So how much snow will we see?

Pardon the crude map, but today is my day off (Since I am working Thanksgiving and Black Friday) so I baked this up with Mircosoft Paint.... The Easy Bake Oven of graphics programs.  I put the + sign because There will likely be pockets of higher snowfall totals, mainly in the eastern portions of each section.  Again, these are snowfall totals by Wednesday morning.  Most of the accumulation snow will not start until later Tuesday.  We then see high pressure build in for Thanksgiving so drier weather.  The roads will be in their worst condition early Wednesday.  It shouldn't be too big of an issue by later Wednesday as crews plow off any of the Eastern snow.

Well, I am off to the gym.  Bill Kelly will be in tonight with an updated look at snowfall totals on ABC6 & FOX28.  To check the radar and the latest Winter Weather Watches/Warnings check out the station's weather page, just click HERE.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Pre-Thanksgiving Snow Storm... for some

Models agreeing more today than they did yesterday on timing and track of the early-mid week storm.

High pressure building in tonight, but quickly moving off to the east coast.  Another bitterly cold night with lows in the mid to low teens.  So starting Monday cold with generally clear skies, but increasing clouds thru the day ahead of the next cold front.

The low pressure in the Gulf is spinning up and will collide with the cold front.  The track of the Low will go from the panhandle of Florida to the East Coast around the Carolina s then race up the East Coast and be out of Maine by late Wednesday. 

Light snow will arrive for Central Ohio Monday night and into Tuesday.  We warm up enough for a wintry mix, mainly SE Ohio, for Tuesday afternoon.  Then most of the precip will stay to Eastern Ohio Tuesday night as temps fall and the system pulls NE.

For Western and Central Ohio, I think up to an inch generally for snowfall(if not less, especially west).  Far Eastern Ohio could see 2-4+" but most of the snow will be in Western PA & WV by midday Wednesday.  Winter Storm Watch for Guernsey & Noble counties from midday Tuesday midday Wednesday.

High pressure builds in very quickly for Thanksgiving, and thus kept the threat for lake effect action down for now.  Another weak front arriving by Sunday.

TRAVEL PLANS: Wednesday will be a little sketchy on the roads if you are planning on heading east.  Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Eastern Kentucky will have a significant snowfall by Wednesday afternoon.  These areas should have clearer roads by Thursday as the storm system races up to Eastern Canada and the high pressure builds in for the Eastern US. 

Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

First helicopter ride

I was scheduled to do a school talk today and we were flying in with our news helicopter.  I was a little nervous because I get motion sick from roller coasters, but just fine in a helicopter.  LOVED IT!  It was really awesome to get to fly over the Shoe and see the city from the sky.  It was amazing to be able to see the rolling hills off to the east, even from a fairly low altitude.  Another cool aspect was the planes flying overhead to land at Port Columbus.

Here is another shot of the city as we were coming in for the landing.  Awesome.

Another pretty nice day on Wednesday, but then rain returns mainly for Friday.  We could have a few late-day showers sneak in Thursday and a few lingering flurries on Saturday, but it should remain pretty light.  Falling temperatures for Saturday and MUCH colder for Sunday and early next week.  Possibly staying below freezing for the afternoons as well.  YIKES!  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Severe weather & notifications

It's a story I have wanted to do for a while... I love Facebook and social media, but there is something that has really bothered me.

First off... last night was crazy.  My heart goes out to those in Illinois and Indiana with the deadly tornadoes.  Ohio had a few up near Toledo, but here in Central Ohio, we only had straight line wind damage.   The damage in Pickaway County was rated at about 80 MPH due to the damage.  Doesn't matter how you shake it, winds THAT strong will cause severe damage.  Straight line winds are far more common in Ohio than tornadoes.  As expected, the storms did weaken as they approached Central Ohio, but were still severe with many gusts between 65-70 MPH, and a few tornadoes near Toledo.

So about being alerted to severe weather and social media...  Facebook used to have the settings so you would see ALL of the recent Facebook posts. It was the "Most Recent" setting.  Well, now as Facebook grows they have algorithms to only allow "Top Stories" in your News Feed.  So some posts do not go to everyone's News Feed.  For instance... Our ABC6 Facebook page has just over 100,000 followers.  But the Tornado Warning for Franklin County last night was only viewed by 35,000 people.  Not very good to rely on Facebook for life threatening weather.  Twitter works well, but only if you are already on there checking the Twitter Feed. 

However, our Ohio WX app will automatically send notifications for the county that you are currently in at the warning time.  So if you are away from home, you will be alerted for your new location.  Other apps offer the same option.  When it comes to life threatening weather on the way, it is very important to protect yourself and your belongings.

The good news is that no dangerous weather is on the way.  We will stay sunny and chilly for the next few days.  Rain returns for late Thursday into Friday.  By next weekend we are looking at MUCH colder air.  Possibly staying below freezing heading into Sunday and Monday.  Enjoy the sunshine and "cool" temps while they are here.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael

Storms upgraded to High Risk

Take today serious. Indiana in particular has te potential for historic storms today. Have a severe weather plan now. 

Severe storms expected Sunday

Still on target for severe storms for Sunday in the Midwest.

Day 2 Moderate Risks do not happen very often, but they all have produced severe weather, some more dangerous than others.

The main threat with tomorrow's storms will be the winds.  The above image shows winds over 30 miles per hour for the afternoon and early evening.  The winds will be the big story, but we could also see some tornadoes.

 Not much hail expected with tomorrow's system... as a matter of fact, I am interested in how much lightning we will actually see.  There will be three areas to watch tomorrow.  Morning rain showers should remain below severe criteria, but worth watching closely.  Then in the later afternoon a line of storms will form in Indiana.  Any cells ahead of the line will have the potential and energy to spin up a tornado and possibly keep it sustained for a while.  Then when the line of storms arrives... THAT will be the strongest winds of the event.  Winds over 70 MPH are possible.  With winds that strong, a gustnado is possible.  (Just like the 4 Ohio had on Halloween)

I grabbed this image from Skybrary.  A gustnado is formed ahead of the storm when the winds that kick out with the gust front.  They are normally weak and short-lived, but still can do some moderate damage.  With the winds as strong as they are expected... I would not be surprised with a few of these with tomorrow's event.  I am not trying to put fear in anyone, but please be prepared and have some way of getting warnings tomorrow.  And most importantly, take the warnings serious and get to shelter if it is in your area.  I HIGHLY recommend our "Ohio WX" app for Android and Apple products.  Just search "OHIO WX" and it will pop up.  It will alert you for a Tornado Warning... wherever you are thanks to GPS.

So here is the timing breakdown for Central Ohio for tomorrow:
---Sunday Early AM: Scattered showers, breezy, winds 10-15 MPH.
---Sunday Late AM: Scattered showers, few rumbles, becoming windier, winds 10-20 MPH.
---Sunday Midday: Showers breaking up with a few dry spells, winds 15-25, gusts 30+ MPH.
---Sunday Early Afternoon: Windy, few lingering showers, winds 15-25+, Gusts 35+ MPH.
---Sunday Late Afternoon: Windy, isolated storms developing, winds 20-30+, Gusts 40+ MPH.
---Sunday Evening: Windy, isolated strong storms ahead of a line of storms, winds 20-30+, Gusts 50+ MPH. Even higher gusts with the leading edge of the line of storms.
---Sunday night after midnight: Storms quickly push east and we begin to dry out, staying breezy, winds 10-20 MPH with gusts dying down. 

PLEASE be alert, let others know, and stay tuned to the forecast for any changes.

Gotta get back to prepping my show.  Have a good one!

Best,
Andrew Buck Michael